As Texas’ legal battle with the federal government over its controversial voter ID law presses on, opponents of the measure on Tuesday argued that the law isn’t necessary and that it will discriminate against minority, immigrant, elderly, young, disabled and student voters.

“This law is unnecessary and unjust,” said Wendy Weiser, director of the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University’s law school.

Wiser spoke about the law on a conference call — organized by New America Media, a collaboration of ethnic news organizations – along with Myrna Perez, senior council at the Brennan Center ...

Comment Policy

The Texas Tribune is pleased to provide the opportunity for you to share
your observations about this story. We encourage lively debate on the issues
of the day, but we ask that you refrain from using profanity or other
offensive speech, engaging in personal attacks or name-calling, posting
advertising, or wandering away from the topic at hand. To comment, you must
be a registered user of the Tribune, and your user name will be displayed.
Thanks for taking time to offer your thoughts.

Voter ID laws have already passed Supreme Court muster, folks; the the vast majority of voters themselves support it. Holder's own ballot was given to someone else, so don't tell me it can't be a problem. Just give it up, folks; figure some other way to commit the fraud.

Fraud happens less than 2% of the time and doesn't effect election outcomes. Framing the argument that way is a little absurd. However, I am a supporter of voter ID to verify. I just don't find the arguments against valid. I'm confused on how it restricts voting. We need ID for virtually every other government interaction. Trust and verify. It's easy.

Jeremy, we had a definitve case in Dallas COunty- that led to convictions- where the fraud WAS big enough to make the difference in a local elecetion. And Senator Franken in Minnesota won his election with one-fourth as many votes ast ther were DEAD VOTERS.

The case in Dallas involved absentee ballots, not fraudulent registration. There really hasn't been any verified cases of voter fraud that the Voter ID bill would stop. And it's not as easy to get ID as people think. If it was, more people would have it. I'm not against having a verified ID, but there are many other ways to accomplish that without disenfranchising millions of voters.

The Supreme Court has already ruled that requiring a voter to produce a valid Voter ID before casting a vote is not an unreasonable request. During the case before the Supreme Court, the justice department could not produce even ONE voter who would have been prevented from voting in Indiana, the state in question at the time. Even in barring the law in Texas, the justice department said that there was a "likelihood" of discrimination against some voters. They did not have an actual voter in mind, just suggested that it might happen. I can assure you that voter impersonation does occur in Texas. I have witnessed it as an alternate judge in an election. The reason it is not reported is because it is illegal to ask a voter for identity verification, so a voter cannot be challenged at the poll. It is the proverbial "catch 22" situation. It can only be proved by requiring a voter to show their i. d., but it is illegal to ask the voter to show their i.d. Very convenient for those who want to cheat. About 70% of Americans think that requiring a voter to produce a valid photo id before being given a ballot is a good idea. In Texas, if a voter does not have a valid i.d. they can get one free of charge from the state. And if it is too difficult to get to the DPS office, a voter can always vote by mail or with an absentee ballot. With those remedies easily available, the only reason one would be against this requirement is if one wanted to cheat.

April 25, 2012 @ 9:34 a.m.

lewis ramsey

The U.S. Supreme Court has never decided the validity of a Voter ID law in a state covered by the Voting Rights Act. The case decided was in Indiana which does not have the history of discrimination that Texas does. Until such a case is decided or this court decides that the Voting Rights Act is unconstitutional, we will have to just wait.

April 25, 2012 @ 10:30 a.m.

gypsy314 ne

Folks if it smells like a skunk looks like a skunk it must be a skunk. Democrats are trying so hard to cheat every legal voter out of our votes and thank god supreme court has ruled once on this matter and will do so again I say we start a class action law suit against democrats and other party's that are trying to cheat Americans out of there votes other wise make them put up or shut up!

April 25, 2012 @ 11:57 a.m.

Adele Roberson

Letters, calls, and petitions to end the influence of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) are making a difference across this State and country.

A dozen Texas state legislators, with former ties to this group, have already pledged to no longer go to these corporate junkets or pay dues to this corporate bill factory.

Based on reports, approximately 2/3 of all state legislators that have left ALEC across the entire country were originally from Texas. This Koch Brother funded bill mill is not going away without a fight and they are spending untold amounts of money to pressure people and corporate sponsors to stick with the status quo.Republicans care not how they win elections. They will win honorably or dishonorably... it is only the end result that interests them.

April 25, 2012 @ 2:06 p.m.

Carol Goodwin

I would really like to see anyone who is a legal citizen prove to me how and why they do not have a photo ID and or how this discriminates against anyone who is indeed legal! The only persons this 'discriminates' against are those who are undocumented or illegal and that is exactly what it is meant to do. Who do you think you are kidding? Any kid can go get a photo ID! I know anyone 18 or older can get one. There is nothing discriminatory in any way as long as you are a legal resident. Otherwise you are not qualified to vote here anyway as much as that sick undocumented Obama would like you to be. He's not qualified either. We're working on keeping him off the ballot. As he spends billions on 'his' campaign lying his head off as he has all along, he is for all means and purposes an illegal alien. No birth certificate; no legal social security number or selective service card. He is a bogus person; a total fraud and I think quite anti American.

April 25, 2012 @ 2:12 p.m.

Carol Goodwin

You are very wrong! You must be a resident/ citizen and even though some areas are a lot more lax about showing who you are, you should have some valid form of I D. I know one news guy went and was actually obtaining a voter registration in the name of Harry Reid! He asked the person at the registration if he need to see soem ID and he said "no". I suppose I could go register as my Aunt who is dead now. This is why we have voter fraud! Why not use your ID and try doing it right for a change? Would that make you feel too "goodie two shoes"?

April 25, 2012 @ 4:16 p.m.

Jim Arnold

This voter doesn't support it Mickey. Guess you are a Baggie who doesn't want minorities to vote.